The Media Review: Mitoma and Georginio strike at Spurs

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Frenchman's late goal ensured a 2-2 draw in north London.

Nick Szczepanik

2026-04-19T10:00+01:00

Kaoru Mitoma's stunning goal saw us equalise late in the first half. 📸 by James Boardman.

Albion fans could be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu when reading the reports of the 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, with so many references to a certain Italian head coach.

And although the focus of many of the writers was, understandably, on former Albion and now Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, all of them recognised the quality of the Seagulls’ performance in twice coming from behind, and all praised Kaoru Mitoma’s first-half wonder strike.

“What a goal,” wrote The Sunday Times’ chief football correspondent Jonathan Northcroft, under a superb photograph of Albion’s second equaliser. “Gross sent in a deep cross and Mitoma – sent on when a tearful Diego Gomez limped off with a concerning injury – had held his run and found space. He met the ball perfectly, with a side-footed volley, creaming it high into Kinsky’s net. Hurzeler said it reminded him of Marco van Basten’s famous 1988 volley and someone showed Mitoma footage of that strike. Modestly, the Japanese said van Basten’s was better.”

Kaoru’s stunning strike! 🤩💫 @MPBcom 🤝 pic.twitter.com/h1B4IZhQHW
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 18, 2026

After Spurs had gone 2-1 up, he wrote, “Brighton, excellent throughout, returned to their intelligent passing and connections high up the pitch. When Ferdi Kadioglu released Yankuba Minteh down the left and he crossed into the box, Danso tried to run the ball out rather than clear it. Van Hecke, having stayed up in attack, dispossessed him to cut the ball back for Rutter to sweep in a brilliant shot. For all Spurs’ moments, Brighton were the more consistent, cohesive, balanced team.”

In The Sunday Telegraph, Matt Law wrote that “a spectacular strike from Xavi Simons, after Kaoru Mitoma had cancelled out Porro’s opener, appeared to have clinched what would have been a massive victory for Tottenham over Brighton. But just as it looked as though Spurs finally had some hope under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton substitute Georginio Rutter struck in the 95th minute to break their hearts and keep them in the relegation zone.

“Just as Tottenham would eventually give up what would have been a precious three points in stoppage time at the end of the game, they also conceded the first Brighton equaliser in time added on at the end of the first half.

“Mitoma had replaced the injured Diego Gómez, who left the pitch in tears, and delivered a brilliant volley from a Pascal Gross cross. It was a wonderful finish that drew a comparison with Marco van Basten from Fabian Hürzeler. But the Japan star had been left unmarked to pick his spot and De Zerbi will know he must work on keeping his players focused right up until the end of both halves.”

Former Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi waved to the fans after the full time whistle. 📸 by James Boardman.

In The Sun on Sunday, Tom Barclay wrote that “on 39 minutes, Spurs had the lead. De Zerbi was going nuts on the touchline, jumping up and down in celebration.

“One should have been two straight after, as Simons glided past a defender in the box, opened his body and stroked a shot which struck the far post.

“It bounced back to Porro on the follow-up but his blast was brilliantly tipped over by Verbruggen, sending De Zerbi to his knees in frustration.

“But Brighton are a good team on a great run – and in Mitoma, they have a player capable of football magic.

An unstoppable strike from our Japanese star. 📸 by James Boardman.

“The Japan star finished off a team move to beat England at Wembley last month.

“His equaliser here was more a moment of individual brilliance as he thwacked home an exquisite volley from Pascal Gross’ raking cross in first-half stoppage time.

“De Zerbi brought off a knackered Gallagher for Bergvall in the 76th minute and it proved an inspired change, because seconds later the Swede robbed Jan Paul van Hecke of possession with his first touch and slipped in Simons.

“From there, Tottenham’s No7 cut in and crashed a shot in off the far post, before ripping off his shirt and jumping into the crowd to celebrate with supporters.

Georgi securing a point! 💥🎯 @MonsterEnergy ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/5rhxy1hA3u
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 18, 2026

“But there was still plenty of time to see out and when Simons went down with cramp with Spurs out of substitute opportunities, you feared the worst.

“Those fears were realised when Rutter smashed in a leveller as victory was snatched away from Spurs yet again, leaving Simons hopping mad in frustration at the final whistle.”

Ed Aarons of The Guardian wrote that “Kaoru Mitoma’s latest wonder goal pegged Tottenham back just before half-time before Rutter delivered the killer blow in the fifth minute of injury time.

“In many ways Brighton were the worst possible opponents they could have faced. While Fabian Hürzeler had to watch from the stands as he completed a touchline ban, his team arrived having won five of their past six matches and never gave up the ghost despite twice going behind.

Highlights in partnership with @mpbcom. Buy, sell and trade used camera gear. https://bit.ly/MPB457

“The German has responded brilliantly to a poor run at the start of the year when his future looked under threat. Yet another example of how quickly things can change in football, the 33-year-old is now thought to be in line for a contract extension in the summer.

“It seemed like it might just be [Tottenham’s] afternoon just after the half hour mark when Yankuba Minteh picked out Jack Hinshelwood at the far post and Micky van de Ven smacked a clearance against his own post. Somehow it deflected away to safety.

“Tottenham found the breakthrough when Porro caught his marker Mitoma napping and was able to beat Bart Verbruggen to a teasing cross from Simons and cue wild celebrations. Simons should have doubled their lead almost, only for his effort to strike the post before Verbruggen saved brilliantly from Porro on the rebound.

“The significance of that became clear when Mitoma, who Hürzeler acknowledged has been a frustrated substitute in recent weeks, showed immaculate skill to sidefoot a volley past Antonin Kinsky at his near post from an excellent cross by the ageless Pascal Gross. You could feel the deflation spreading around the ground when the ball hit the back of the net.

Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen could not do anything about the shot from Simons that arrowed into the top corner after Lucas Bergvall robbed the ball from Jan Paul van Hecke. But it was the Dutch defender who had the last laugh when he set up Rutter for the equaliser that leaves Tottenham in dire straits.”